From 27 September 2026, the EU bans "carbon neutral" from product labels. But "30% recycled content" — built on the same ledger-credit trick — survives. A banned word is not a measured fact, and a survivor word is not a true one.

In this episode, we debate: is banning specific green words genuine consumer protection, or does it create a false sense of progress by killing the most visible offenders while leaving the same accounting trick alive under different labels?

We unpack 5 concepts you will need before reading the article: the Per-Se Blacklist, the Offset-vs-Mass-Balance Parallel, the Ex-Ante Measurement Floor, Survivor Words, and the UK's Untested Teeth.

Next time you shop, check the labels in your basket — how many of those green words survived the 2026 rules, and what do they actually promise?

Related episodes: The Caddy Liner (Report 065), The Hidden Half (Report 076), When Recycling Leaves the Country (Report 038)

Topics: carbon neutral ban, EU greenwashing regulation, mass balance recycled content, recyclable label, compostable certification, offset credits, Empowering Consumers Directive, green claims

Read the full article: youreanatural.com/consumer-intelligence/the-words-that-die